AT&T/DirectTV blacks out local TV stations in 97 markets across USA on July 4th after rejecting Nexstar offers to extend access for consumers to leading local content
Local
DIRECTV/AT&T once again holds its subscribers hostage instead of negotiating in good faith and reaching a fair market rate agreement with Nexstar, other broadcasters and content providers
Personally would rather see them get rid of useless ESPN networks completely, and provide the local content the real broadcasters offer.
I will have to side with AT&T on this one. Nexstar product is not that compelling and their entertainment is replaceable. I have cable and I rarely watch any Nexstar content. Only reason why I realized they are no longer available was when I read about the blackout - then flipped to my other channels that I rarely watch and went - 'oh wow - so that is what I will no longer have access to... oh well, whatever.'
Nexstar overrated themselves. That will be their ultimate downfall. At work, nobody talks about network TV - they talk about Stranger Things, HBO, Showtime series, etc. Guess people's tastes are evolving away from Nexstar and it does not help their business model to raise prices and alienate their middle to upper class viewers that advertisers target.
Nexstar wants more money.
https://tvpromise.att.com/
Nexstar pulls or threatens to pull their stations from the customers of TV providers to increase fees for stations far beyond their value. They’ve done it to Cox Cable, DISH, and Charter Spectrum, and now they’re doing it to us.
The four major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) have together lost about half their primetime audience over the past few years. Despite this, Nexstar is demanding the largest increase that AT&T has ever seen from any content provider.
It takes two to tango. If AT&T accepts the price increase, they'll have to pass it along to their customers, won't they. If these stations are simultaneously losing market share, the price should be decreased, not increased.